


The Ballad of a Vassal

by WingsTakeDream



Category: Fire Emblem, Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-13
Packaged: 2018-02-08 15:51:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1947045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingsTakeDream/pseuds/WingsTakeDream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Throughout his life, Oswin served four marquesses of Ostia. His ballad is one of four parts: Subject, lover, advisor, guardian.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Subject

His first marquess was Lord Riordan, son of Arthur, ruler of House Ostia for some 25 years. The common folk said Riordan would rule for a hundred, and in his youth Oswin tended to agree with them—Riordan was a giant of a man, rarely still, always hearty. He would have much rather spent his days on horseback traversing the continent, leading some ragtag group of mercenaries, but as he was so fond of saying, “When duty calls, a man must answer.” But that was before the illness. It started slowly enough with a stubborn cough, but within two years his body had been ravaged. He and his wife, the Lady Mairin, passed within days of each other. Their two sons, Uther and Hector, were kept away from their parents for fear of the illness spreading.  


“My mother is dead,” Uther told Oswin him one foggy morning. “Hector is an orphan.”  


“Your parents died as well, my lord,” he responded, ever mindful of his liege lord's feelings. Uther’s face was unchanged.  


“I never got to apologize to my mother.”  


“What for, my lord?” Not for the first time, Oswin noted what a peculiarly stoic people these Ostians were.  


“For being nothing but a worry to her for my 19 years of life.”  


“You were much more than a worry, Uther. She took great pride and joy in your accomplishments.”  


“She cried when I came home with the scar.”  


Uther didn’t mention his father, but later that night, Oswin saw the long-dormant torches flickering from within Lord Riordan’s study. _No_ , Oswin thought, _Lord Uther’s study_.


	2. Lover

His second marquess was Lord Uther, son of Riordan, marquess for less than a year. Whereas Lord Riordan had been an imposing authority figure, Uther was—Uther. The new marquess appeared plenty imposing, of course—he was just as big as his father and had a grim scar bisecting his face across the bridge of his nose—but Oswin knew better. Although Uther certainly looked like his father, he was much truer to his mother in nature. Quick-witted, clever, and forever putting the needs of others above his own, in many ways he was the opposite of his brash and frequently petulant father. However, no one would deny that Lord Riordan was a highly effective leader, and so Oswin learned that great marquesses are not cast from a mold.  
  
“My brother is leaving tomorrow to join Lord Eliwood. He is under the impression that he is sneaking away. We will maintain this appearance, and I want you to go with him, Oswin,” Uther told him one night.  
  
“You’re going to let him go? And you’re…you’re sending me, my lord?” Oswin asked, both curious and more than a bit puzzled. At these questions, the marquess gave a wry grin.  
  
“Come now, Oswin. It’s useless stopping my thick-skulled brother when he sets his mind to something. But this also has its advantages for me. While I am highly concerned for Lord Elbert, it simply isn’t possible for me to directly aid Eliwood at this point. Hector storming off tonight wraps that situation up quite neatly, no?”  
  
Oswin gave a curt nod. “I suppose so. But still—why me?”  
  
“Will you ever realize your full worth? The only person suitable enough to watch over my brother is you.”  
  
“But why is that person me, my lord?”  
  
The marquess clucked his tongue. “Oswin, now you are just baiting for a compliment. But I suppose it’s because there’s no one I love or trust more in this world, or something of that nature.”  
  
Oswin felt his ears go red, but was determined not to lose his composure and break into a decidedly unprofessional grin (not that anything about their relationship had been purely professional for a long time, but still, Oswin liked to pretend). Fortunately, Uther solved that problem by smiling for the both of them.  
  
“And as for my dear brother’s escape act…we will pretend as though we do not care, of course. He will probably fly into a rage, and we will let him go,” Uther laughed. But his laughter suddenly turned into a wracking cough, and Oswin felt a rush of fear come over himself.  
  
“Lord Uther! Are you well? You must rest more; you have not slept for weeks. You cannot rely on physical strength alone, my lord,” he nearly pleaded, stoicism be damned.  
  
“Everything will be fine, Oswin. Tomorrow I will meet with the physician you selected. Just, please…keep Hector alive. And keep yourself alive, too.”  
  
“Yes, my lord. Uther.”

\------------------------------------------- 

It was a chilly fall evening when the letter arrived:

_Dearest Oswin,_  
  
 _You are too clever by half; your concerns for my health were not misplaced. I fear that my time is drawing to a close, much like my father and mother’s before me. Do not grieve overmuch, Oswin—you live on, as does my brother. As much as I would like to tell you that my death releases you from fulfilling any future requests on my behalf, I have one final task for you to perform. I beg of you—in the event of my death, do not, under any circumstances, inform Hector. He is true to his own feelings…If asked to choose between his brother and the world, he would not hesitate in rushing to my side. Though he often speaks in anger, we are brothers. We are all we have. I have never doubted his affection. Yet what if the choice were between brother and friend? To choose one would mean abandoning the other. He would come to despise himself, whatever his choice. I cannot force him to make such a decision. Please, lend Hector your strength of body and mind in my stead—both in the immediate future and the years to come._  
 _Oswin, I must close by thanking you for your service, your loyalty, your friendship, and your love. I have no words, save an insufficient “thank you”._  
  
 _Always,  
Uther_

Oswin read the letter so many times that evening he could practically recite it from memory by the time his candle burned out. He was careful to keep his tears from smudging the ink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The majority of Uther's letter comes straight from Fire Emblem 7; I only added the intro and closing!

**Author's Note:**

> This story follows the general plotlines of Fire Emblem 7 and will eventually dip into the aftermath of Fire Emblem 6. Although the main relationship is between Oswin and Uther, references will eventually be made to Hector and his wife. This is the only real deviation from the canon FE universe: Hector's wife is named Ava, and they have two children, Lilina and Uther.


End file.
